The Impenetrable Wall
by Kratos Wilder
Summary: There are some walls that just can't be broken down. \::NxT::/


**::A/N::** Well, it's been a long time (a very, very, very long time) since I have done this, so bear with me. And I hope that I have not lost valuable reviewers I loved in the past. I have been born again, and better! 3

Some notes here: First, this is the longest oneshot I have written, so I hope it was good. It can be taken and broken up in to 4 chapters (the --- indicates a possible new chapter and the *** is a simple time skip, but same time frame) but I personally hate reading short chapters, so I shoved it a into one.

Two: I tried my hardest to keep Neji in character (and I usually try) but surely everyone knows how hard that has to be in some cases. I also apologize for anyone else who is out of character, and if you see it please let me know. I hate when I do it.

Three: I began this a long time ago, and have proofread it like crazy, so I'm hoping this is decent. I also didn't have in mind the ending I wrote, but as I wrote it, I thought it would be better. So, I stuck with it.

Four: Since I have probably lost the majority of people in my note, to everyone Happy New Year's and get drunk (like me) but DO NOT DRIVE! That's what underage drivers are for! Hope all goes well in 2010!

**Disclaimer:**I do not own Naruto. If I did, Team Gai would have stayed as main characters instead of fade into NOTHING!

* * *

**The Impenetrable Wall**

"_There are some things in life worth fighting for, but not all fights can be won."_

He liked her.

She liked him.

It was clearly obvious to everyone.

Except to them.

Tenten had had her eyes on Neji for as long as she could remember. The only thing keeping her from confessing that she liked him more than a friend was his rejection, and then the extreme awkward moments that would follow. So, she played it safe, and waited for him to be the first to confess so she wouldn't look like a fool in front of him.

However, Neji was far from confessing. Sure he enjoyed his time around Tenten, but who wouldn't? Especially when your other option was Gai and his younger, more obnoxious twin, Lee.

What would he confess to anyway? They were friends. Good friends. Maybe even best friends. But the Hyuuga didn't know what "love" was, so how could he compare what he was feeling to an emotion he knew nothing about? He was simply content and happy by being in her presence, and that was enough for him.

On the other hand, Lee was going to go crazy, more so than he already was, if the two of them kept playing their game of hiding their "youthfulness" from the other. With Tenten always agreeing with Neji, and Neji always protecting Tenten, they had to know that something was happening between the two of them. Lee knew more thick-headed people than them, but even those people could see the "youth blossoming amongst friends!"

But whenever Lee would approach the issue with them individually, it was always the same response. "Tenten is my friend," and, "Geez, Lee! We're just friends, okay?!"

Then, finally, like Gai's words of wisdom filling his heart (and his notebook) on a less-youthful day, Tenten cracked under his pressure. Or maybe that was the bribe that if she was honest this one time that he would stop shouting youthful talks and calling her the "Youthful Flower."

"At first, I thought he was just a cold-hearted jerk, but after a while, he warmed up. Maybe it's just because of all the time we spend together, but I'll admit that I like him…a little," she added when Lee's face lit up.

"Why haven't you told him?!" he shouted, biting his tongue before he started his "Springtime of Youth" lecture.

She sighed. "We are friends, Lee. That's all we will ever be. He doesn't like me."

Lee pouted. "Ah, Tenten! You don't know that!"

But she ignored him and began walking away. "I probably never will."

Lee watched as she walked out of his sight, defeated. She might have given up, but the Handsome Devil _never_ gave up! So, he decided to have a talk with his youthful rival instead. If Tenten wasn't going to break down the wall of doubt, then he would be more than happy to do it for her.

What were friends for?

***

Neji waited at the sparring field for his partner like he usually did. Lee was off with Gai, like he usually was. But the Hyuuga was not his usual, calm and collected self. He couldn't explain what he was feeling. Anger? Nerves? Shock? All of the above? All because Lee had the audacity to tell him that Tenten liked him.

However, Neji knew Tenten better than that.

But what if Lee was right and she did tell him? What if this wasn't a cruel prank on the genius, but an honest confession? There was only one way to find out.

And if she laughed, Lee was a dead man.

Tenten arrived at her usual time, slowly strolling into the clearing. He knew that she just woke up, for she was never a morning person. However, other than early morning fatigue, she seemed to be her usual perky self, much to his dismay. Was it possible that Lee had gone behind her back and confronted the Hyuuga without her permission? Surely if she knew, she wouldn't look so…happy.

Neji refused to let the issue eat him up any longer. Deciding to make it quick, he closed his eyes and smiled. "So, Lee has informed me that you like me. Is that true?"

He waited for the laughter, but she instead, grew very angry. "He said _what_?!!"

Was her anger a good sign? "I take it to mean that you do like me."

Silence. For the first time ever, Neji hoped Lee would pop his ridiculous image into the uncomfortable scenario the prodigy had found himself in. Anything to rid him of the cursed silence that was on the verge of suffocating him.

Neji grew tired of waiting, and managed to choke out, "Well?"

She folded her arms across her chest and groaned, and Neji did not need his Byakugan activated to catch the weapon mistress flush in anger. Or was that…embarrassment?

"I'm going to kill him," she spat softly.

"Yes or no, Tenten."

"Yes, Neji! I like you! Happy now?"

All Neji could do was smile.

He would have to kill Lee another time.

-----

"Is she alright?"

The nurse looked directly into the worried Hyuuga's eyes and managed a weak smile. "She has suffered from a tremendous amount of blood loss and the tendons and muscles in her shoulders are completely ruptured. It will take an intensive and complicated surgery in order to repair them well enough for her to move them again."

Her diagnosis sent a powerful wave of fear and guilt through Neji, strong enough to paralyze his movements and constrict his throat to refrain from speaking. From behind him, his sensei gasped.

"Does this mean she won't be able to fight again?!"

The question hung in the air for what seemed like an eternity before the nurse sighed. "I don't know, Gai. Right now, she is lucky that she is alive, even though I know you ninjas don't view a life without fighting. It would take a miracle, but then—" she added, fixing her gaze upon the miniature form of Gai, "I can't say she never will after seeing the miracle that happened with him."

With that said, the nurse took her leave, seeing as the three men needed no more bad news from her. Gai, Lee, and Neji stood in silence, letting all the information sink in. The optimistic duo exchanged glances, then turned to the Hyuuga standing in front of them.

"Neji, this wasn't your fault. None of us saw this—"

Lee came to an abrupt halt and jumped when Neji slammed his fist into the wall, rattling nearby windows and sending an impressive shockwave through the hall.

"Damn it! I should have anticipated that the enemy would spring a trap in our weakened conditions! Now Tenten may never be able to use her arms again!"

Gai put a strong hand on his distraught pupil. "They also believed there was no hope for Lee to recover, much less to be a ninja again. But he is doing just that now. We must not lose our hope for Tenten as well."

"Tenten is not Lee. And he was lucky."

"Lee stayed positive throughout the whole ordeal. We must do the same if Tenten is to have a fighting chance."

"Let us wish the best for our youthful flower! She is so strong and courageous! She will pull through in no time at all!" Lee exclaimed.

But Neji wasn't as hopeful as his teammate. "If only I had taken in the surroundings more carefully, then she would be standing here next to us instead of lying on that godforsaken hospital bed!"

"But she is not, Neji," Gai said bluntly. "So we must do what he can to help her now."

Gai meant well, and Neji, very uncharacteristically, but mentally, thanked him for it. If only he had paid more attention instead of constantly checking up on his fatigued comrades. If only he hadn't been so eager to reach the gates of Konoha after their successful completion of their first A-Rank mission. If only he had been smarter, he could have avoided falling into the enemy trap. If only he had been stronger, he could have protected Tenten from the fate that had befallen her.

Deciding to change the subject, Lee walked up to the door in front of them. "Let's go check up on our youthful flower! She might be awake now!"

Pumping his fist into the air, Gai smiled at his younger version. "What a wonderful idea, Lee!"

As Gai and Lee sped into Tenten's room at an unbelievable and unnecessary speed, Neji couldn't find the stomach to approach the teammate—no—friend he had nearly gotten killed in battle. She probably wanted nothing to do with him anyway.

When he turned to walk away, Lee shouted from inside the room. "Neji, my youthful rival!! Why are you not in here?!"

The Hyuuga rolled his eyes at Lee's loud proclamation, but he found himself being lured into the room in which his team resided. He avoided eye contact with the bed, more or less, the person on it, and stood behind Lee.

"You do not need to yell, Lee," Neji said angrily. "This is a hospital, and Tenten is…" He managed to find the courage to glance over at his teammate and was mildly surprised. "…Asleep?" Surely after Lee's prior exclamation, she would have woken up.

"Ah, but it is true, Neji," Gai added as quietly as the Green Beast could. "We shall return, my dear," he said to his unconscious student lying on the bed. He then turned to Lee. "Lee, let us go! We must work twice as hard now, for Tenten's sake for when she awakens!"

Lee saluted his idol. "Yes sensei! We should work three times as hard!!"

Neji sighed in disgust as the green-clad men started weeping in front of him. "Oh, Lee! You are such a bright student! Alright! Three times it is!" And in a flash of blinding white light, the two men were gone, leaving the blinded Neji to look after their injured comrade.

He wanted to run. Run from the room. Run from the woman he had hurt. Run from his mistake. But his body would not cooperate; his feet would not lift off the ground. He looked back over at Tenten, then his eyes fell to the floor. Why did they hurt her? Why didn't they go after him? He would have much rather been the one lying in that bed facing the possibility of a ninja-less future. As long as it meant that she was okay.

Finally, out of stress, guilt, or a combination of both, the prodigy collapsed to his knees beside her bed. And in a rare but honest display of emotion that would have had Gai and Lee crying for days on end, the proud Neji Hyuuga apologized. Apologized for failing her, for putting her in harm's way, and for not being strong enough to protect her.

***

She woke up in a haze, unaware of her surroundings. Blinking a few times, she saw she was in a white room, with white bed sheets, white curtains, white _everything_.

_"Am I dead?"_she thought to herself, assuming as much with all the white around her. She tried to roll on to her side, but soon found she was unable to do so. She had very little strength, and with the little strength she did have, the pain countered it, forcing her to remain still. She tried to speak instead, hoping that someone (maybe an angel?) would come clue her in on what was going on, where she was, and for God sake, why it was so white!

"Tenten?!"

She turned her head as much as it would allow to look at the person who had addressed her. "…Where am I?"

Okay, so she wasn't dead. Just in a weird dream. There was _no_ _way_ Neji would be sitting at her bedside waiting for her to wake up.

"Tenten, can you hear me? Are you okay?"

Maybe it was the medication, but she was sure that there was concern in his voice. Neji was _rarely_ concerned. And _never_ concerned about her.

"Where…where are we?" she managed to choke out. "What's going on?"

He dropped his head, and she felt a cold chill run up her spine. Maybe she really was dead, or dying…?

"I'm so sorry. I should have paid more attention. Because of me you…"

He kept talking, but he lost her at "I'm so sorry." She needed to wake herself from this dream. It was beginning to create an illusion of what she would love for Neji to be like; humble and caring. But she knew the real Neji would never bow his head and apologize for something he did to her. _Ever_.

"…And now you may never fight again." He slammed his fists into the bed, causing her to jump at the extra push of air from under her.

"What are you talking about?" Now, more importantly, she wanted to know _who_ was talking to her. And she would love to throw her hands around their neck and kill them for playing with her heart like this.

He stared at her, at a loss for words. "Do you even remember what happened? Why you are lying in a hospital bed?" He then paused and took a deep breath. "Do you even know who I am?"

There was a long silence, as she was deep in thought. She remembered fighting with Lee and Neji. She remembered being extremely tired after a mission. She remembered Lee telling Neji to stop for a break, but the prodigy claimed they could rest in a few hours inside the safety of their home village. She remembered enemies, a few of them. Everything after that was a blur.

"Tenten?"

"This is just a dream," she finally said. "You are not Neji, but a figment of my imagination. The real Neji would never apologize to me."

At least she knew who he was. "I can assure you, Tenten, that this is the real me. I've just been…thinking about a lot of things lately."

She leaned back on her bed, giving up the fight to sit up. "Why can't I move?"

He took a deep breath, assuming that she wasn't paying attention to him earlier. "Your arms have been immobilized, Tenten. Tsunade is preparing a surgery for you at the current time, but it is still very likely you won't be able to use them ever again."

The truth of his words sent a wave of panic into her already confused system. "Wh…what?"

And then he lowered his gaze so he didn't have to look into the scared girl's eyes. "I'm sorry. You were injured on the way back to the village." He was going to explain further, but thought he had already said enough. It wasn't going to change what had happened, and it would not justify his being weak.

"Oh," was all she was able to say. She could feel the burn in her eyes as she made the connection from his earlier statement.

_And now you may never fight again._

She didn't know when the first tear had escaped, but in seconds the dam broke and she was crying. What if she couldn't fight alongside Neji or Lee ever again? What if she couldn't even move for the rest of her life? Now she was pleading to anyone to wake her up from the dream-turned-nightmare. She wanted to wake up in her own bed by that stupid alarm clock, by a scolding Neji because the alarm clock wasn't enough, by an over-exuberant Lee because she was missing out on precious youth by sleeping in. Now, she wondered if she would ever get that chance again.

She was pulled from her despair when she felt a cold hand on her cheek. She looked up at Neji, who did not say anything as he used his thumb to wipe the free-falling tears from her face. Their eyes met and locked, and for a brief second, she saw right through his cold exterior and caught a glimpse of adoration. A simple, honest emotion that, although unspoken, she knew he meant just by looking at him now.

With a weak smile, she looked away, his thumb still wiping the line of fresh tears from her face. "What will happen if I can't fight anymore?"

Reflecting on Gai's words from hours ago, he leaned in closer and watched as her gaze met his again. "You must remain positive, Tenten. Tsunade succeeded with Lee, as I am confident she will succeed with you."

"But…I'm not as strong as Lee, you know. What if I die?"

He refused to let her delude herself further. "You will not die. You are stronger than you give yourself credit for. The more you mislead yourself into believing you will die, then you will. But I know you better than that. You have never been one to give in when things seemed bleak. Instead, you chose to fight and overcome. You will do the same here."

A fraction of her was moved by Neji's words, but as hopeful as he was, she was still a long ways away from being convinced she had a fighting chance. "What if I don't make it?"

Neji stared at her for a long minute before the right answer came to his mind. "There's absolutely no doubt in my mind that the operation will be a success. And in the extremely small event that something were to go wrong, well…" He paused, unsure of what he would be getting himself in to. But the minute he looked back into the eyes of the girl who had stolen his heart, he continued without a care in his mind or a doubt in his heart.

"I will die with you."

-----

"We'll take a break now."

Neji began to pick up his partner's scattered weapons lying on the ground. A few seconds later, he heard her growl in disgust.

"No! I am not tired! Let's have another spar! Please!"

He ignored her and continued gathering her weapons. When he sensed that she was about to protest, he spoke before her.

"You mustn't overexert yourself, Tenten. It's a miracle you can do as much as you can now. You don't need to worsen your condition beyond repair."

"It's been a year, Neji!" she retorted. "I haven't been on a mission in forever because I am still not at the level I need to be at! I need to get better!!"

He turned to her, his eyes hardened with determination. "There is a difference between want and need. You _want_ to get better. You _want_ to go on a mission. But now, you _need_ to rest and recuperate. Tsunade told you it would take time for you to regain your strength. Youneed to be patient."

She wanted to say something in response, but one look into the Hyuuga's eyes told her not to even bother. Instead, she grunted her disagreement and slid herself down a nearby tree and sat at its base. Neji went back to his task at hand, occasionally glancing over at the agitated Tenten. Feeling her disappointment weigh at his conscience, he sighed and walked over to sit down next to her.

"Just give it a little more time. You have definitely improved over the year. We are even sparring now instead of…"

"You're holding back on me, so what's the point?"

He wasn't getting anywhere with her. "Yes, I am. I do not want to jeopardize your fate again."

Angrily, she stood up and glared at him. "Damn it, Neji! I am not a child! Stop going easy on me! If I can't handle fighting you at your best like I could before, then I deserve to be sent back to the hospital!"

He didn't respond. He knew she was frustrated, and if yelling at him would make her feel better, he would endure every second of it. But as he looked up at her, he couldn't help but notice how cute she looked when she was mad.

And he couldn't help the small smile that crept on his face at the thought.

Tenten noticed. "Something funny, Neji? I didn't say anything humorous."

"You're right. You didn't."

Not getting the answer she expected, Tenten grew angrier. "Why are you smiling then? You obviously think something is funny. Is it because of how useless I am? How weak I am? How angry I am because…"

"I was just thinking how cute you look when you are frustrated."

"Because I'm…what?" She stopped mid-sentence, unsure if she heard Neji right. "What did you say?"

At least she wasn't yelling anymore. "I said, I was just thinking how cute you look when you are frustrated."

He smiled at her confused reaction, a dramatic change apparent from her past heated-self. When she looked away from him, he could see the faintest of smiles forming on her face and the tiniest tint of red appearing on her cheeks.

"Don't make me laugh."

He countered, "But I haven't said anything humorous."

She broke out into a smile as she turned to face him. "I can take those back now," she said, referring to the weapons Neji still held in his hands. "Thank you for picking them up for me."

She reached out to take them from his hands, but he grabbed her wrists and gently pulled her closer to him. He caught her off-guard, and she gasped in shock until her head nearly collided with his shoulder. She looked up at him and her breath caught in her throat due to the close proximity of his face to hers.

"You're welcome," he said in a deep, low voice that almost made her legs give out from under her. He released her hands, but she simply stood still, dazed. Her heart was pounding so loud in her ears that she barely made out Neji ask, "Are you hungry?"

It took her a minute to regain her composure. Now that she thought about it, her stomach was growling slightly.

"Uh…y-yeah. Yes. Yes, I am," she stated more boldly the second time, hoping Neji didn't catch the nervous edge in her voice.

If he did, he ignored it. "Then, let's go eat."

He walked away, then turned when he realized that she was standing in the same spot. "Are you not going to join me?"

She let out a small laugh to suppress the giant leap of hope in her heart. Surely Neji wouldn't take her on a date.

"You are going to walk me to lunch?"

"No," he responded with a smile on his face. "I'm asking you on a date."

***

It had been a day from heaven, and Neji Hyuuga very rarely, make that never, had a day like the one he had. He had been slightly nervous about asking Tenten to accompany him for lunch, but if she had been offended, he would have simply stated it was just a friendly lunch, which they had had many times in the past. But she had been rather cheerful about it, which gave him the strength to make it clear to her that this wasn't one of those friendly lunches he had enjoyed in the past. No. He was done with that.

And as of today, he knew she knew that as well.

It had been nothing fancy or over the top, for he knew Tenten would not like that. They had decided to stick to their usual routine and simply chose the ramen shop for a quick lunch. However, unlike the times before when Tenten had paid for her own meal, he had grabbed her bill before she got a chance to say a word and took care of it himself. When she had asked why, he simply stated that it was what men did when they took _their_ girls on dates.

She had laughed, but she couldn't hide that flicker of pleasure in her eyes and the flush of pink on her cheeks. At least, not from the all-seeing Neji Hyuuga. When they left, she had reached out and grabbed his hand, and murmured a "thank you" with a smile plastered on her face. He had walked her home in silence, for words would have ruined the precious moment he had wanted to last forever.

When they had reached her place, she had graciously thanked him again for the lunch. He had thanked her for accompanying him. And then they had been silent, neither wanting to leave, but neither knowing what to say.

_"Well, thank you again for buying my lunch. It means a lot."_

_He just gave a faint smile and nodded. "You're welcome."_

_Then there was silence. Unlike before when it was tolerable, Neji found himself scrambling for something to say. He didn't want to say good-bye just yet. But, he didn't know what else to do. And clearly she didn't either, since every time she broke the silence, she ended up thanking him again. _

_She smiled, then reached into her pocket for the key to get inside. "Well…" He saw her struggle to say something, and then waited for the usual response. "Thanks again."_

_"You do not have to keep thanking me. It was my pleasure."_

_Her eyes lit up, and she turned away from him, he assumed out of embarrassment. And yet, he couldn't figure out why. _

_Realizing he had a conversation starter, he reached out and pulled her hand away from the door to face him. She was slightly stunned at the sudden movement, but steadied herself and locked eyes with Neji._

_"Why do you turn away every time I say something?" She tried to look away again, but he put a strong hand under her chin and forced her to look up at him. "Just as you tried to now. Am I saying something wrong?"_

_She chuckled and her eyes drifted out of his penetrating stare. "No, Neji. You're not saying anything wrong."_

_"Then are you ashamed of me being here?" When she turned her head to the side, his heart skipped a beat. What if she seemed to like him only because she was just being nice? What if he had completely misread her? "You're doing it again."_

_He dropped his hand, growing extremely uncomfortable standing in front of her. He feared for the worst when she finally spoke up._

_"No, Neji. I am very happy that you are here. It's just…I don't know. I guess I've always had a crush on you, and why I am being open about this now, I have no idea, because I know all you see me as is a friend. But at the same time, I am perfectly happy with that. Just as long as you are always there."_

_He had not read her wrong after all. He had the idea that she liked him hidden in the back of his mind, but this was the first time she had opened herself up and told him. He had spent years trying to decipher his feelings for her. He knew the feeling of friendship, and he was positive they were friends. But over time, he began to see things differently. And it wasn't until Lee's little escapade of going behind her back to tell him she liked him that he secretly wanted more than friendship. And it wasn't until she was injured on that mission that he realized what his life would mean without her. And it wasn't until now that he had the courage to prove to her what she really meant to him._

_"I believe you hold more control over my heart than any friend of mine ever will, Tenten."_

_She looked back into his eyes, her uneasiness now replaced with confusion. "What?"_

_Hoping he would say the right thing, he silenced his mind and let his heart do the talking. "I do not know what love is like, Tenten, but I honestly believe if there is a person who is to show me, it would be you."_

_Her lips parted, as if to say something in return, but her voice remained bound by the effect of Neji's words. He, in return, smiled at her and reached out to brush a loose strand of hair from her face. "I would love to take you out again sometime."_

_Finally, she broke out into a grin and threw her arms around him. "I'd like that," she replied softly, her mind still perplexed by the man in front of her. _

_He simply placed his arms around her waist and took a moment to realize how perfectly she fit in his arms. _

_And the rest of the world fell silent._

It was a day from heaven, and Neji promised himself that he would be having many more days like this in the future.

-----

"Can I have a moment with you Neji?"

The younger Hyuuga glanced up at his uncle standing in his doorframe. He wore a look of concern, but Neji assumed whatever Hiashi had to say was serious. What it could possibly be about, he had no idea.

Neji lifted himself off the bed, but Hiashi shut the door, indicating they would simply discuss the issue where they were. Neji placed both feet on the floor and straightened his back, his eyes meeting those of his uncle's.

"May I ask what this is about?" he asked the elder, trying to read the expression on his face. When Hiashi drew in a breath, Neji's eyes narrowed in confusion. "Have I done something to displease…"

"No, Neji. You have done nothing wrong. This is just an issue that is hard for me to have to address to you."

Neji began devising topics Hiashi would find difficult to address to him. If he hadn't done anything wrong, then that eliminated the majority of his ideas. What on earth did he possibly have to tell him?

Hiashi's face lightened for a brief second while Neji was lost in thought. "Do not think so hard on it." Then, the light left his features and he lowered his gaze. "What I am about to say is going to be hard for you to hear right now, but it will help you in the end."

When he stopped, Neji grew impatient. "What is it?"

Taking in another breath and releasing it slowly, Hiashi fixed his eyes on the young prodigy. "You need to stop seeing this girl of yours."

His comment came as a slap in the face to Neji. He definitely didn't see that coming. "Not to sound disrespectful, but may I ask why?"

"Neji, you are a fine Hyuuga clan member, who could very well earn the role of leading this clan one day. You must understand that to keep the Hyuuga family as powerful as we have become, we must find someone who will be suitable for you."

Neji bit his tongue so hard he could taste blood in his mouth. It took every last ounce of respect he had gained for Hiashi not to beat the man senseless for basically telling him that Tenten wasn't suitable enough for him.

"And I understand your frustration, Neji. I can tell that this will not be an easy task for you. But you must let her go before it becomes too hard, on both you and on her."

But Neji did not want to let her go. He _never_ wanted to let her go. So, he would _not_ let her go. "You are asking me to give up the one thing that makes me happy for the sake of the family that has shunned me from the day I was born? You have never met her, so how can you tell me that she is not suitable for me when you don't even know her?!"

When he realized he was yelling, he stopped and forced himself to take deep breaths to calm down. Surprisingly, Hiashi did not snap at him for being disrespectful.

"I am not asking you to do anything, Neji. But I am telling you, as much as it pains me to say, that there is no easy road for you to take. I know you care deeply about this friend of yours, but I am sure the Elders will not allow you to choose your own path to follow. You were born into the Branch family, and they will make sure you adhere to the laws they have set."

Neji wanted to punch something, someone, _anything_. He was burning with rage. His hands were clenched into tight fists to the point where his nails cut into the palms of his hands. His body was shaking in anger, but he didn't even notice. No, his focus was on the pain in his chest.

And he didn't need medical expertise to tell that his heart was breaking.

"I'm sorry, Neji, but it seems Fate's cruel hand will always have a hold on you."

Hiashi took his leave, and the minute his door was shut, Neji fell to his knees. Why had he been such a fool to think that he could have had a future with Tenten when he was cursed to the control the Elders had on him? He just assumed that after the year and a half he had been with her, they would have seen how happy she made him, and they would let him do whatever he wanted. But he had been foolish to think that. Now she would never forgive him, and he would never forgive himself.

He pounded his fists into the wooden floor, hoping to relieve the pain tearing at his heart and the burning sensation behind his eyes. It wasn't until he cracked the floor and sliced his hand that he felt the weight of the world overpower him and he fell apart.

And for the first time since the death of his father, Neji Hyuuga cried.

***

Neji sat under the tree he had come to know so well in the past few years. Now, he was hoping that it would give him some direction as to what to do, even though he already knew what he had to do. He silently waited for Tenten to arrive to break the news to her, even though a part of him prayed she never showed up. But he knew that she needed to know; it wasn't fair to her to keep acting like things were okay when they were never going to be okay again. She needed to find better, someone who was not bound to fate as he was.

He just hoped she would forgive him in time.

The rustling of leaves caught his attention, and seconds later she strolled into view. She smiled at him, still too tired to say anything. Not returning the gesture, Neji stood up and slowly walked up to her.

"We need to talk."

He saw her furrow her brows in confusion. "Um, about what?"

God, he didn't want to do this. He didn't want to lose the best thing that had happened to him, and would ever happen to him. He didn't want to make her cry. He only wanted to make her smile; the smile that had given his life meaning every time he saw it. He wanted to hold on to her forever and never let go. He wanted to live each day of his life right next to her, because without her, he was nobody.

"…Neji?"

He braved looking into her eyes, and he could see that she was nervous. It was very rare that he would hesitate in responding to her questions. But as he went to open his mouth, the words were caught in his throat, and he was forced to look away.

If she wasn't worried before, she was scared now. "Neji? What's wrong? Did I do something wrong? Please…tell me."

The plea in her voice was a stab to his heart. He couldn't keep doing this to her. But how to tell her? He couldn't just say 'I don't want to be with you anymore' because he wanted to. He could place all the blame on his family, but he had been the one who deceived himself in thinking they would let him stray from their grasp.

"Please, Neji."

A single tear fell from her eye, and he felt something inside him snap. He refused to be the one to hurt her, and he would not let anyone else have that chance. The Elders could go to hell for all he cared. He had come too far to let his fate as a Hyuuga stop him from being with the girl he loved more than his own life. Even if it meant his own banishment from the clan, he would leave with a smile, because he wouldn't trade a life of happiness with Tenten with a life of misery with his family.

"Have I told you today how much I love you?"

He could tell from her puzzled reaction that he did not give her the response she was looking for. But, after a few seconds, she smiled and hid her face in his chest. "No, you have not. But I don't believe that's what you wanted to tell me."

He made a promise to himself that she would never know. "I was going to wait a year or two, but why wait when the result is the same?"

She was confused again. "What are you talking about?"

"Tenten, I love you. I love you now, and I'll love you forever. And I want to be with you forever, just as I am now."

She took a step back and examined him, as if he was a complete stranger. Then, she laughed. "Are you proposing to me?"

He shoved his hands in his pockets. "That would depend on your answer."

She stood in shock, her eyes wide and mouth open. He smiled as he stretched his arms out and wrapped them around her.

"I can't imagine what my life would be without you."

She shifted around in his grasp for a minute before she looked up at him with tears lining her face and a smile that made his heart do summersaults in his chest.

"I can't imagine my life without you either, Neji."

_Then you'll never have to, Tenten._

* * *

End note: I hope I pulled the ending off well, because it was not how it was supposed to end. I apologize for any confusion in tenses or in perspectives: I realized I did change perspectives a few times in the same shot, but when I went to change it, I couldn't figure out how without ruining the story. I did steal the "I'll die along with you" end from episode 100 with Gai and Lee. I kinda played it out like that anyway.

Hope it all turned out somewhat decent and I'll try and do better in the upcoming year about my writing.

Until next time,

_Kratos Wilder_


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